Leave No Trace: How Mountains Taught Me Sustainability | Jaahnavi Sriperambuduru | TEDxNPSITPL Youth
Mountains Call—Not to be Conquered, but to be PreservedAt TEDxYouth@NPSITPL, Jaahnavi—a feisty climber—explained her inspiring journey from climbing peaks to preserving them. In 2019, on a tough trekking expedition, she met her wake-up call not on the majesty of the summit, but on a dump of waste oxygen cans and rubbish at the holy steps of a far-off mountain path. While others believed she was picking up souvenirs, Jaahnavi was setting an example by picking up more than 3 kg of trash—her 'quiet' protest and a call against thoughtless human tracks on delicate ecosystems.During her presence at National Public School ITPL, she discussed the delicate nature of mountains, the face-changing character of these great landscapes, and how we, humanity, are directly accountable for their deterioration. She stressed with candor and urgency that in and for the mountains, any decision can be your last—not only for yourself, but for others, and even the planet.Her simply yet loud message was around how sustainability begins with small, mindful choices. Whether it was reconsidering water usage or bringing garbage down from revered heights, Jaahnavi demonstrated how responsibility in practice can head off a crisis quoting her examples.By urging them not to let an avalanche begin with a single snowflake, she challenged young minds to envision their own summit—not merely to reach it, but to protect the path that leads there.She may have set out to conquer the mountain, but returned with a greater purpose—preservation. On a parting note, she left the youth with a powerful question to ponder- What trail will you leave behind? and whatever that would be, let it not be trash, but intent. Leave no trace—only your legacy on the planet. Jaahnavi Sriperambuduru is an Indian mountaineer and motivational speaker. She is on her mission to climb the highest peaks of all seven continents known as the Seven Summits and also to reach the farthest point on the globe "The South Pole" and "The North Pole". She is on her pursuit for the Grand Slam to become the youngest Girl in the World in her Phase I climbs. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
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